Member's statement: National Apprenticeship Week

Member's statement by Ms Kate Nicholl on 4 February 2025.

MLA

Ms Kate Nicholl

Party at the time

Alliance Party

Date

4 February 2025

Type

Member's statement

Business

Members' Statements

Heading

National Apprenticeship Week

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4778944

Read the official Assembly record

Text

This week is National Apprenticeship Week. I will be honest and say that, before joining the Economy Committee, I did not know much about apprenticeships, but the reality is that they are a game changer. They help to grow our economy, tackle poverty and inequality and fill crucial skills gaps. They offer a practical strategic way to boost productivity and develop a workforce that meets our long-term economic needs. That said, we still have a problem: every time we talk about education and skills, the conversation seems to default to academic routes — university, degrees and traditional qualifications. Why is that? Why do we still have an ingrained bias that university is the best option for success? National Apprenticeship Week is all about changing that mindset and raising awareness of the opportunities that apprenticeships bring. Of course, we know that both academic and vocational pathways are valuable, but we need to shift our thinking. Our focus should be on finding the best opportunities for our young people and not just pushing them down one particular route. Apprenticeships strike a brilliant balance of earning while learning and gaining qualifications while getting real-world experience. We recently had representations from apprentices at the Committee, and I wish that I had known more about apprenticeships as an option when I was at school. In fact, when it comes to making them more accessible, that is first on my list of things to look at for taking action. Careers advice in schools needs a serious rethink. Work is already happening across Education and Economy, but we also need to make sure that our apprenticeships are properly promoted. A thriving apprenticeship system depends on a strong further education sector, and there are serious concerns about the challenges facing that sector right now.

We also need to reform and devolve the apprenticeship levy, which I have spoken about before, so that we have more control over how the money that businesses pay out is spent. We have to shift the cultural perception of vocational routes so that they are seen as equally valuable, not just as a second choice. We need to support small businesses and mircobusinesses so that they have the confidence and capacity to take on more apprenticeships. We know that more want to do that; they just do not have the capacity to do it. We are making progress, but we need to go further and faster. Apprenticeships can help us close crucial skills gaps, especially in green industries where we need trained workers to meet our net zero commitments. That is why I, as chair of the all-party group on skills, am really excited that our next inquiry will focus on green skills. Apprenticeships will be so key to making that happen. Alliance will keep pushing for more apprenticeship opportunities and better support for both apprentices and employers. It is about giving people of all ages the best possible start and helping businesses find the skilled workers that they need to thrive. Happy Apprenticeship Week. There are so many events going on, all of which are detailed on the Economy Department's website. I am hopeful that we can continue to drive change in that area.

532 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:51 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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